Balsas Screech-Owl - BirdForum Opus

Megascops seductus

Otus seductus

Identification

25cm.

• Brown iris
• White marking round face
• Cross barring on chest streaks and ear tufts.

Larger and heavier than both Eastern Screech-Owl and Oaxaca Screech-Owl which are found nearby; these other two species have yellow eyes

Distribution

Found in south-west Mexico (southern Jalisco and Colima to western Guerrero)

Taxonomy

This species has either no^[1] or two^[2] recognized subspecies, colimensis and seductus. This species was at one time assigned to a complex also containing both Eastern Screech-Owl and Western Screech-Owl but considered closer to the latter.

This and almost all Screech-Owls in the Americas have previously been considered to belong in the same genus (Otus) as the European and Asian scops-owls, but a reassignment to Megascops have been accepted by among other authorities, the American Ornithologists' Union.

Habitat

Dry thorn forest as well as more open dry areas with scattered trees.

Behaviour

Nocturnal, but otherwise poorly known.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Avibase
3. Owling.com
4. König, C. and F. Weick 2008. Owls of the World, second edition. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 978-0-7136-6548-2

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Balsas Screech-Owl. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 12 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Balsas_Screech-Owl

External Links

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